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Abstract

Navy bean (white bean) is an export crop with potential to signficantly improve incomes of
smallholder farmers in Kenya; its production and marketing has, however, stagnated. A study
was conducted to determine the status, challenges and marketing opportunities for navy bean.
Primary data were obtained by interviewing white bean producers, processors, key resource
experts, regulators and consumers using category-specific semi-structured questionnaires.
Secondary data were collected from published work and available statistics. The study
demonstrated that navy bean production in several parts of Kenya dates back to the 1950s, but it
is now confined (though with very low production levels) to Nakuru County districts of Rongai
and Nakuru north. Decline in production is partly attributed to the collapse of contractual
arrangements between producers and processors. Currently, local processors import most of their
navy beans from Ethiopia. There are two Navy bean market channels: local channel initiated by
local chain actors and an Ethiopian channel initiated by wholesale traders who supply current
processors and other traders. Main challenges include low producer prices, poor agronomic and
post harvest practices, low value addition and processing and lack of market information,
particularly to farmers. Opportunities identified for participants in the value chain include the
presence of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) for seed inspection and
certification, increase in processing capacity, improved breeding and seed production systems
and the exploration of new markets coupled with innovative crop promotion stategies. Strategies
for improving the competitiveness of navy bean subsector hinges on accelerated navy bean
breeding and seed systems (including informal seed systems), processing/canning and sufficient
market information to all participants in the value chain. Evidence shows that the International
Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in collaboration with the University of Nairobi are doing
some breeding work on navy beans. Moreover, several materials are under farmer participatory
evaluation trials in historically navy been producing areas in the rift valley, central and upper
eastern.